dogrufus:
Don’t think we have much of a chance in this game or the series.We haven’t been able to generate any good shots.Melo has been hitting insanely hard shots he’d normally miss.We should be down by 10.

It makes me sad to see all the flaws I’ve been pointing out in this team will sink us.We get shut down by physical defenses.We just can’t score against the Bulls, Pacers, or healthy Celtics.

Shumpert might be the stupidest defender off the ball on the team. Why is he leaving the corner 3 open on two straight possessions to double a guard simply cutting to the hoop? Unless Woodson’s idea of rim protection is Shumpert jumping flailing around by the rim.

Chandler isn’t moving particularly well right now, really worried about his health moving forward. He needs to go back to being DPOY dominant center Tyson chandler soon or the Knicks are going to struggle just getting out of this round

Agreed. He’s holding the ball too long. He also needs to vary it up a little bit. Get the ball of cuts. Get shots through screens as opposed to isolation. Get Bass running through some picks and get mismatches just like the Celtics are doing for Pierce. That part’s on Woody.

mr.JayP: To take a contested shot? This is EXACTLY the game Doc wants melo to play…he needs to pass out of the double team and make a decision in 4 sec or less.

If you disagree with me that’s fine, but why can’t you be civil? I’m a fan too. I want the team to succeed too. I’ve just been so scarred by long years of disappointment that I expect all the team’s endeavors to end in ignominious failure. That doesn’t mean I want this to happen any more than you do.

My most desired outcome is that I’m proven to be hilariously wrong, we win the championship, and everyone laughs at stupid dog.

Unfortunately we’re going to go down in the first round as a second seed to the fucking Celtics. You be upbeat about it if you want.

someone mentioned that shump is horrible about leaving his man for no reason. this was apparent that half. shump (and others) can not continue to double players and allow the celts to swing the ball around the perimeter for the open corner three. if kg is going to beat us with turnaround 15 footers, so be it. if bass can torch us in the post, so be it. but no more stupid off the ball helping. please!!!

Adjustments:
+ more JR (only played 10 minutes in the first half)
+ no more Kidd on Pierce, put Shump on him fight through screens and don’t double Pierce
+Get up into Green, help off the dribble and force him to take contested mid-range jumpers or to make passes
+ Have Melo attack the paint….less mid range jumpers, attack and get fouled and look to be a playmaker

DRed: I think you’ve got your answer. Celts hit some very tough shots that half. If we can get the ball moving on offense I think we’ll be fine

Melo also hit some ridiculously tough shots, Ray hit a tough long two while being fouled, and we shot 6-10 from three. If one team got the better end of variance in that half, it was unfortunately probably us.

dogrufus: If you disagree with me that’s fine, but why can’t you be civil?I’m a fan too.I want the team to succeed too.I’ve just been so scarred by long years of disappointment that I expect all the team’s endeavors to end in ignominious failure.That doesn’t mean I want this to happen any more than you do.

My most desired outcome is that I’m proven to be hilariously wrong, we win the championship, and everyone laughs at stupid dog.

Unfortunately we’re going to go down in the first round as a second seed to the fucking Celtics.You be upbeat about it if you want.

You do want this to happen. It’s fairly obvious. Trying to justify your negative attitude because you’re a wounded fan is hilarity. You’re the only Knicks fan that has stuck with them through all the horrible years they’ve had? For realz? Drop the act.

If you wanna hate, just hate. There’s plenty to criticize and justifiably so (looking at you, Chandler). So stop half-stepping with flimsy excuses because it just reveals a shocking insecurity. Which is being picked up upon by more than a few posters. Hence the hostility.

If we defend like this for the rest of the series there is no doubt as to the outcome. Our offense is hurting without Prigioni because it moves Felton to an on the ball position without anybody nearly as capable at him penetrating playing off the ball. That constant threat of penetration and multiple pick and rolls is what gets Carmelo positive isolation looks and our three point game.

Expected 1st game jitters for Cope. He’s just not looked confident out there. Hopefully we get a better Cope throughout the series / playoffs. Shump has also looked unsteady. JR in full EFF You mode however

Look I get that Melo gets a shitty whistle and he has some legitimate gripes but his attitude today is just childish. Ok complain the first couple of times you don’t get a call, but then adjust. Don’t do the same shit over and over and act shocked when the results are the same. Also we need way better floor spacing.

AnonymousODG: You do want this to happen.It’s fairly obvious. Trying to justify your negative attitude because you’re a wounded fan is hilarity.You’re the only Knicks fan that has stuck with them through all the horrible years they’ve had?For realz?Drop the act.

If you wanna hate, just hate.There’s plenty to criticize and justifiably so (looking at you, Chandler).So stop half-stepping with flimsy excuses because it just reveals a shocking insecurity.Which is being picked up upon by more than a few posters.Hence the hostility.

I think I have better insight into what I want than you do. Shocking insecurity as to this team is utterly justified. We’re on the verge of collapsing at home to the 7th seed. Stop telling me how I feel or should feel about it.

I’m pessimistic. I don’t think out team is really very good. I don’t think we’ll win this game or series. I dont’ want any of this to be so. Deal with it.

Pierce, Green and Bradley are playing about as well as they could have hoped. In the meantime, Melo is shooting poorly, JR is playing awful defense and is shooting poorly now, and Felton is playing so-so.

Melo really needs to either attack, get in the post or pass and move the ball quickly. We can’t rely on Melo to win this game for us. The team has to win. I hope they and Melo realize this. #NO HEROBALL PLEASE

dogrufus: I think I have better insight into what I want than you do.Shocking insecurity as to this team is utterly justified.We’re on the verge of collapsing at home to the 7th seed.Stop telling me how I feel or should feel about it.

I’m pessimistic.I don’t think out team is really very good.I don’t think we’ll win this game or series.I dont’ want any of this to be so.Deal with it.

You do have better insight. Which is probably why my comment was so cutting. And nothing in this response actually detracts from my comment. Not surprising.

Guys at the end of the day you’re going to occasionally miss open jumpers, the important thing is to keep getting those types of shots which will eventually go in. Overall I think this team’s done decent considering that Tyson chandler has basically been invisible and prigs is missing.

I agree. I’ve loved the little duck. I want him to be even more aggressive. If it’s a 3 headed offensive monster out there (with Chandler adding nothing)….we need Felton to step up alongside Carmelo and JR

The only thing that makes me sad is that Woodson will bring in Chandler (0 pts, 5 rebs, 0 blks) at some point to finish the game instead of sticking with KMart (8 pts, 8 rebs, 2 blks) who has been great.

AnonymousODG:
The only thing that makes me sad is that Woodson will bring in Chandler (0 pts, 5 rebs, 0 blks) at some point to finish the game instead of sticking with KMart (8 pts, 8 rebs, 2 blks) who has been great.

My facepalm is reading itself.

Could Woodson have even realized how well KMart is playing??? *knocks on wood* We can’t hit an open shot if our life depended on it, but damn is our defense grooving.

Man, Celts down 3, Paul Pierce licking his chops, twinkle in his eye, Pierce about to take that 3, then JR fresh from bitching about a call comes back and swipes victory from the jaws of defeat… if one sequence sums up JR ….that was just it.

That was sweet. We won that game with our DEFENSE..not three pointers. Kenyon was huge, Kidd was huge on D. Interestingly don’t think either Novak or Cope cracked double digit minutes. And I’m glad Woody stuck with Martin and didn’t feel obligated to put the All-Star Center back in the game. Great, great win!

Jeff Green scored 6 pts in the 2nd half, Jason Terry scored 0. I mean if we score 90+, I think it’s going to be tough for the Celts to keep up on the offensive end. Their defense however was very good at times this game…ours was outrageous in the 2nd half. I wonder if you look at our quarter splits, I’d bet we’re a top 10 defense in 2nd half and fourth quarter defense…it’s seemed to be a theme all season.

Huge game from Kidd and Kmart, I thought Felton was decent as well. If Melo and Earl made their open jumpers this woulda been an easier victory. Also Jeff Green showed the difference btwn a star and just a good player

Got home in time to watch the entire 4th quarter. Fitting JVG was calling the game cause this was a win straight out of the JVG era.

Boston just doesnt have enough offense and specifically ball-handling to win this series. Was very frustrated/perplexed with the Knicks offense in the 4th but thankfully we got Melo and Boston doesnt. Ugly win but will gladly take it, still feeling good about the Knicks winning this series in 5.

BigBlueAL:
Got home in time to watch the entire 4th quarter.Fitting JVG was calling the game cause this was a win straight out of the JVG era.

Boston just doesnt have enough offense and specifically ball-handling to win this series.Was very frustrated/perplexed with the Knicks offense in the 4th but thankfully we got Melo and Boston doesnt.Ugly win but will gladly take it, still feeling good about the Knicks winning this series in 5.

Offense gets ugly in the playoffs, cliche as that is, at least when you have quality defensive teams.

That’s why guys who can make difficult/guarded shots have even more value in the postseason.

Also Im sure it has been mentioned already today and certainly has been mentioned throughout the season but man gotta say again, AMAZING hands Kidd has on D. He probably got mostly arm on some of them too but he usually gets the benefit of the doubt from the refs which is fine with me lol.

ruruland: Offense gets ugly in the playoffs, cliche as that is, at least when you have quality defensive teams.

That’s why guys who can make difficult/guarded shots have even more value in the postseason.

My thing with the offense was they literally would wait until under 10 secs were left on the shot clock to do anything and alot of the times they never got the ball in Melo’s hands. I was screaming to get him the ball early in the clock and let him go to work with some time left on the clock.

It was getting to the point where after a few horrible floater looking shots and heaves from 3 late in the clock (none of them from Melo) I was screaming next time Melo shoots and I dont care if he has all 5 guys on him lol.

We won that game because we got 15 steals. Going forward, we need either Melo or JR to actually hit some shots. And thank God for K Mart. I don’t know if Tyson was rusty or still hurt, but we would have been totally boned without a plan B bigman. What’s the word on Priggy Smalls?

BigBlueAL: My thing with the offense was they literally would wait until under 10 secs were left on the shot clock to do anything and alot of the times they never got the ball in Melo’s hands.I was screaming to get him the ball early in the clock and let him go to work with some time left on the clock.

It was getting to the point where after a few horrible floater looking shots and heaves from 3 late in the clock (none of them from Melo) I was screaming next time Melo shoots and I dont care if he has all 5 guys on him lol.

They need to have Melo be the primary roll player and then have him stagger screen the weakside so that he’ll have a clear side.

The one flex screen is not opening up enough space.

Knicks need to him a couple backdoors to loosen up Boston’s fronting, and you can’t do that with just one or two actions because Boston’s defense is so disciplined on the weakside.

I think we should start White instead of Copeland. I know that sounds terrible. But he is a better defender. With all the switches being made, he’ll be a help against Bradley, Green and Pierce in the 1st quarter. Celtics’ first-string defense just shut Copeland down.

Hopefully, Chandler takes these next few days to eat some humble pie. He got benched, plain and simple. He needs to play better in the first half, no question, and not coast on last year’s near-meaningless (shortened season) defensive performance. But even if he doesn’t come out with more fire and finesse, at least Woodson has been struck by inspiration and realized KMart can shoulder the lion-share of minutes in tight games.

I think we should start White instead of Copeland.I know that sounds terrible.But he is a better defender.With all the switches being made, he’ll be a help against Bradley, Green and Pierce in the 1st quarter.Celtics’ first-string defense just shut Copeland down.

Hopefully, Chandler takes these next few days to eat some humble pie.He got benched, plain and simple.He needs to play better in the first half, no question, and not coast on last year’s near-meaningless (shortened season) defensive performance.But even if he doesn’t come out with more fire and finesse, at least Woodson has been struck by inspiration and realized KMart can shoulder the lion-share of minutes in tight games.

DRed:
We won that game because we got 15 steals.Going forward, we need either Melo or JR to actually hit some shots. And thank God for K Mart. I don’t know if Tyson was rusty or still hurt, but we would have been totally boned without a plan B bigman.What’s the word on Priggy Smalls?

Offensive rebounding and turnover differential will be the prime advantages.

Knicks are a better spot-up shooting team. Period. That’s a third advantage.

Celtics got the better whistle, made every free throw, got huge games from Green and Bradley and lost.

There are a lot of ways to look at it.

AGain, last year the Celtics held opponents below 100 points in regulation in 19 of 20 games, including 6/7 against fucking Miami.

I think we should start White instead of Copeland.I know that sounds terrible.But he is a better defender.With all the switches being made, he’ll be a help against Bradley, Green and Pierce in the 1st quarter.Celtics’ first-string defense just shut Copeland down.

Hopefully, Chandler takes these next few days to eat some humble pie.He got benched, plain and simple.He needs to play better in the first half, no question, and not coast on last year’s near-meaningless (shortened season) defensive performance.But even if he doesn’t come out with more fire and finesse, at least Woodson has been struck by inspiration and realized KMart can shoulder the lion-share of minutes in tight games.

That defense felt really infectious in the 4th quarter. Really liked the game Felton and Kidd put in. Kenyon’s energy level is absolutely amazing. Melo and JR had a lot that went in and out. I think they both need to drive to the basket a bit more, but we need to put in a few things to alleviate the ball pressure because the Celtics are waiting for it.

Also, I think this was a great opening game. It gave the Knicks confidence that they can win when the shots aren’t falling. Not a lot heads hanging, even when they got down in the third. Winning the series over a team that owned the division and was seemingly looking forward to this matchup could mean great things for confidence going into the next series.

B-U-T-ful Team D just owned the sagging Cs; crushed them even though the Knicks offense was off and TS was lame. Most steals, most important steals don’t matter. The Team D was the whole deal and will only get better when Prig and the real TS return. Step 1 of Operation Demoralizing Smackdown complete. Any game when the Knicks Offense also clicks won’t be close.

“I love it. Playoffs are my type of basketball because you’re playing every possession with heart and passion. There is no tomorrow,” Chandler said. “Every possession can determine the outcome of the series. There’s nothing like it. I love the intensity.”

BigBlueAL: My thing with the offense was they literally would wait until under 10 secs were left on the shot clock to do anything and alot of the times they never got the ball in Melo’s hands.I was screaming to get him the ball early in the clock and let him go to work with some time left on the clock.

It was getting to the point where after a few horrible floater looking shots and heaves from 3 late in the clock (none of them from Melo) I was screaming next time Melo shoots and I dont care if he has all 5 guys on him lol.

exactly. expecially towards the end of the game. ruru knows what we are talking about, hes just trying to be contrary

ruruland: Easier said than done, Max. This is the playoffs, and so ball entry and man defense are allowed to be very tight.

When you have Bradley, KG, Green and good team defenders around them, in a playoff situation, it’s next to impossible to create good offense consistently.

Again today we see the value Amar’e provides in terms of establishing an inside out presence.

Remember, in 7 games last year the Heat scored 100 points or more in regulation just once.

The Heat.

And that was without Green.

The Celtics allowed 100 or more points in 1 of 20 playoff games last year.

ruru. if amare plays, we prob dont win this game. k mart wouldnt have gotten his minutes. amare prob would have score 13 on 5-10 shooting, 3-4 from the line, and screwed up our team defense while he was out there. the idea of amare sounds good in a vacuum, but this roster gives us the best chance. its just the reality

Doc in his postgame press conference said he was most disappointed with allowing Melo to catch the ball late in the shot clock. Celtics plan is clearly deny him the ball and force the Knicks into those awful looking possessions where Felton or JR have to take some crazy shot as the shot clock expires.

Pretty disappointed with ESPN just now. Watched halftime of the Nuggets-Warriors game expecting to see some Knicks-Celtics highlights and a discussion of the game and nothing. It was as if they didnt even play earlier. Guarantee if the Knicks had lost there wouldve been alot of discussion of the game.

yeah, im actually interested to see if woodson is contemplating a lineup that has cope at the 5 with melo at the 4 when the cs have kg in there. it would really space the celtics out on defnese, and i dont get the sense that kg at this point would kill us on the offensive glass or in the paint. we will basically get the 12 foot turnarounds he gets anyways. now, of course we will have no rim protection, so the guards would have to keep their men in front of them, but it could be a lineup that could put up some points (read, open threes) for us

maxwell_3g: ruru.if amare plays, we prob dont win this game.k mart wouldnt have gotten his minutes.amare prob would have score 13 on 5-10 shooting, 3-4 from the line, and screwed up our team defense while he was out there.the idea of amare sounds good in a vacuum, but this roster gives us the best chance.its just the reality

I’d take 18 minutes of Amare over Copeland/Novak’s combined 18 minutes any day. Seems obvious at this point. Celtics play big, and STAT wouldn’t have taken KMart’s minutes but played PF. I’m pretty positive that we would have shifted Melo into the SF position, which would have been great.

“Perhaps influenced by a hot first couple of minutes, Carmelo Anthony passed the ball on only three of 26 touches in the first half, and after his hot start, he missed 11 of his last 13 shots in the half.

In the second half, Anthony took a different approach. He passed 15 times on his 33 touches, the most important of which resulted in a key Kenyon Martin layup late in the game”

ephus:
I’ve said it before, and I hope to say it again: This is a GREAT time to be a Knick fan.

This is the kind of repetition we welcome in contrast to the annoying cuckoo-clock-like interruptions of that troll Dog guy. Our team gutted out a gritty victory: “What doesn’t kill us will make us stronger.” Sure I’d much prefer the Hawks right now but if we can emerge victorious, we’ll be that much better (if our entire team is not in the hospital). The Mavs last season gave OKC a real scare in the first 2 games in Oklahoma and then folded mainly due to age. If we can win the next game, we should be in good shape.

The Knicks just have a big built-in advantage against the Celtics because of the turnovers and offensive rebounds. So many extra possessions. The C’s have to either shoot out of their minds, play completely lockdown defense or hope the Knicks have an uncharacteristically bad day with turnovers to have much of a chance.

They were 19-19 from the line today and still lost, because the Knicks took 14 more FGA.

JK47:
The Knicks just have a big built-in advantage against the Celtics because of the turnovers and offensive rebounds.So many extra possessions.The C’s have to either shoot out of their minds, play completely lockdown defense or hope the Knicks have an uncharacteristically bad day with turnovers to have much of a chance.

They were 19-19 from the line today and still lost, because the Knicks took 14 more FGA.

The Knicks advantage is that Celtics are playing without their best player: Rajon Rondo. And while BOS made a praise-worthy effort to salvage a post-season appearance with some inspired team play during the season, they shouldn’t expect to take down the Knicks.

Even Bill Simmons noted that a 4 pt lead at the half was about as much as BOS fans could hope for. Which is kind of a sad statement in and of itself. BOS needs a divine performance from Pierce or Garnett to take a game (or a horrible injury to a Knick). Simple as that.